Engine-support



J. C. THEBERATH.

ENGINE SUPPORT.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. H, 1918.

Patented July 112, 1921-,

UNHTEB earner Sill JOSEPH C. THEBERATI-I, 0F LAKEWGOD, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO RALPH A. ROHRICH, OF

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ENGINE-SUPPORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 12, 1921.

Application fi1ed March 11, 1918. Serial No. 221,634.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that Josnrii C. Ti-rnsnne'rn, citizen of the United States, residing at Lakewood, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Engine-Supports, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an engine su porting device, and more particularly to an auxiliary support for automobile engines (the term automobile being used in its, broadest sense the device bem 1n the.

nature of an attachment that may be readily applied to an automobile for the purpose of either relieving the usual engine supporting brackets of their load, or materially assisting them in sustaining it; or for the purpose of partially or wholly supporting the engine in the event that one or both of its opposed brackets has or have been fractured.

A real need that has long existed gave rise to this invention. Much trouble is experienced, particularly in a present very popular type of automobile, from the engine sup porting brackets breaking, necessitating. if the work is properly done, the dismounting of the engines and the welding together of the fragments of the brackets, incurring considerable expense and loss of time.

The objects of my invention are to pro vide a simple and inexpensive engine support that can be quickly installed without the need of any tool other than a wrench, and

that will securely hold the engine in place either supplemental to or independently of the supporting effect of any other means; that is adjustable to fit varying conditions, and for placing it under desirable tension;

and that is sufiiciently flexible to readily yield to the usual torsions of the frame.

To these ends my invention may be de fined as consisting of the combinations of elements set out in the claims annexed hereto and illustrated in the drawing accom panying and forming a part hereof wherein 1 dotted lines; and Fig. l is a section on the line 4& of Fig. 3.

While I have illustrated my invention associated with a particular type of engine, it will be understood that the design of the support may be altered to adapt it to engines of other types without departing from the spirit of the invention, for I contemplate the use of the support in connection with all prevailing styles of engines wherein exists the weakness which I have hereinbefore explained.

In the drawing, I have conventionally shown an engine designated A. that is supported from the opposed side members B of an automobile frame by the usual crank case arms or brackets a. A spacer C is inserted between the web of each channel shaped frame member and the vertical branch of the corresponding bracket a, and

a bolt a passes through the frame member,

the spacer and the bracket, to holdthe latter against side sway, while a bolt at attaches the horizontal branch of the bracket to the top of the frame member. Due to the con stant vibration of the engine when in operation, the lateral forces created by the tendency of the engine to swing within the frame, and the torsional strains imposed upon the brackets through the usual yielding of the frame, the brackets are weakened and very often crack or break at the zone indicated by the arrow 00 in Fig. 4.

My auxiliary supporting device comprises anchorage elements 1 having lateral branches 2 turned downward at their outer ends as indicated at 3 to embrace, between such down turned ends and the body portionsof the elements the upper flanges of the-side members B of the vehicle frame. An anchorage element is disposed on each side of each of the brackets a, and it depends slightly below the adjacent frame member to engage with the horizontal. flanges of the engine casing that are indicated generally at a The surfaces of the anchorage members wherewith the flanges a contact are intended to be dressed oli' or finished so that the engine will accurately fit between the elements while said elements are in firm contact with the frame members. As a result of'these proportions, the engine is securely held against any possible side sway.

gine the brackets a, are attached to the enlarged portion a of the engine casing inclosing the fly wheel; and the bottom of this portion, constituting the lowest point of the casing is provided with a boss at having an opening through which the oil may be drained from the casing, the opening being ordinarily closed by a plug (1- As previously stated the anchorage members 1 are located in juxtaposition to the brackets a, and consequently are in the zone of that portion of the engine casing inclosing a fly wheel. Suspension rods 5 extend beneath the engine and have their 0 )posed ends turned outward and upward in parallel relation to each other to pass through vertical bores in the anchorage elements 1, the upper-ends of the suspension rods being threaded for the application of nuts 7. A tie'plate 8 is associated with each pair of anchorage elements, and it has its ends perfo'ated for the passage of the rods 5, the plates being disposed between the nuts 7 and the ends of the elements thus serving to hold the elements against separation. Lock nuts 9 may be added to prevent the former nuts from loosening.

10 represents a saddle that is curved to conform to the underneath side of the portion a of the engine casing, and it has a central aperture 11 for engagement over the boss (1; and at each of its ends, the saddle is provided with opposed ears 12 that are turned downward to engage over the suspension rods 5 to hold them against separation. As indicated in the plan view of Fig. 3, the rods are drawn inward by the plate at their centers so as to strengthen the structure over what it would be if the rods were parallel, a sort of truss formation. arising from this arrangement.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that my invention provides a very simple contrivance, wherein the parts may be easily assembled, and when assembled and installed, are very effectually held against displacement. Assuming that one of the brackets a is fractured at the point indicated by the arrow a: in Fig. l it will be seen that by the application of my device, the engine may be drawn up into original position by the adjustment of the nuts 7 and 9 until the lower portion of the severed bracket is in firm engagement with the upper portion thereof, the upper portion constituting an abutment acting in opposition to the tension of the rods 5. 7

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. An automobile engine support comprising a pair of suspension members arranged to pass side by side beneath the engine, means connecting the corresponding ends of the pair of members together and to the adjacent side members of the automobile frame,

and a saddle resting upon the suspension members intermediate their ends and supporting the engine and havlng parts engaged over said members thereby to hold them against separation.

2. An automobile engine support comprising two pairs of independent anchorage elements adapted to be arranged in opposed relation to each other, one pair for application to each side member of the automobile frame with one element on each side of the crank case arm, a pair of suspension members designed to pass side by side beneath the engine and have their corresponding ends connected to the anchorage elements of the adjacent pair, and a'saddle resting upon the suspension members intermediate their ends and supporting the engine and having parts engaged over said members thereby to hold them against separation. r

3. An automobile engine support comprising two pairs of anchorage elements adapted to be arranged in opposed relation to each other, one pair for application to each side member of the automobile frame, each element having a bore, a pair of suspension rods designed to pass beneath the engine and have their corresponding ends passed upward through the bores of anchorage elements, a member having apertures for the passage of the rods and adapted for application to the ends of the rods projecting above the elements of each pair, and means for application to the ends of therods preventing their withdrawal from the elements.

a. An automobile engine support comprising a pair of suspension members arranged to pass beneath the engine, meansconnecting the corresponding ends of the pair of mem-' bers together in spaced relation to each other and to the adjacent side member of. the automobile frame, and asaddle sustained by the suspension members and having parts cooperating therewith to maintain the central portions of said members closer together than their corresponding ends; I

5. An automobile engine support comprising a pair of anchorage elements adapted for application to each side member of the automobile frame, each element having a bore, a pair of suspension rodsarranged to pass beneath the engine and having their ends extended upward through the bores of the anchorage elements, a perforated plate for application to the ends of the rods protruding above each pair of elements, the ends of the rods being threaded, nuts for application to the ends of the rods, and a saddle sustained by the central portions of the suspension rods and having opposed lugs overhanging said rods to maintain them against separation, the saddle having an aperture for cooperation with a protuberance of the engine. I

6. An automobile engine support comprising a pair of anchorage elements adapted for application to each side member of the automobile frame, each element having a bore, a pair of suspension rods arranged to pass beneath the engine and having their ends extended upward through the bores of the anchorage elements, a plate perforated for application to the ends of the rods protruding above each pair of elements, the ends of the rods being threaded, nuts for application to the ends of said rods, and a sad dle sustained by the central portions of the suspension rods and having opposed lugs overhanging said rods to maintain them against separation, the saddle having an aperture for cooperation with a protuberance of the engine, and the anchorage elements being designed to fit between the sides of the engine and the opposed side members of the automobile frame thereby to prevent side sway of the engine with respect to the frame.

7 An automobile engine support comprising anchorage elements for application to the opposed side members of the automobile frame, each element consisting of a body portion having a lateral branch, hooked at its outer end, and adapted to be engaged over the upper side of the frame member, each element having a bore, and an abutment surface disposed to be engaged by a part of the engine, a suspension rod designed to pass beneath the engine and have its ends passed upward through the bores of the elements, the ends of the rod being threaded, and nuts for application to the ends of the rods above the elements.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature.

JOSEPH C. THEBERATH. 

